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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Gatton has an estimated 8,801 residents, up from 7,851 at the 2021 Census — a change of 950 people, or 12.1%. Growth has averaged 2.3% a year over five years, faster than 77% of areas nationally. 110 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Overseas migration accounts for 89.0% of that increase. That puts 205 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS regional updates alongside post-Census validated addresses, the suburb of Gatton has an estimated population of approximately 8,801 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 950 people (12.1%) compared to the 2021 Census tally of 7,851 people. This adjustment draws on an estimated resident population figure of 8,791 derived from the ABS ERP release in June 2025, combined with 110 validated new addresses recorded after the Census date. Consequently, population density stands at 205 persons per square kilometer, indicating generous space per resident alongside capacity for future expansion.
The suburb of Gatton outpaced both its broader SA3 area (9.3%) and the wider SA4 region with its 12.1% growth post-2021 census, establishing itself as a regional growth frontrunner. The primary driver behind local demographic expansion has been overseas migration, accounting for roughly 89.0% of all recent population additions. Projections compiled by the ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 using 2022 as their baseline, are utilised by AreaSearch for individual SA2 localities. For timeframes beyond 2032 or locations omitted from this dataset, projections published in 2023 by the Queensland State Government (utilising 2021 baseline data) are applied instead. Because state-level datasets lack detailed age breakdowns, AreaSearch allocates cohort distributions using proportional weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Over the coming years, demographic forecasts place the suburb of Gatton within the top quartile for non-metropolitan growth, with combined SA2 modelling projecting an influx of 1,979 persons to 2041, representing a cumulative increase of 22.4% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
94 new dwellings have been approved in Gatton over the past five years, an average of 18 a year. That is 1.6 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 10, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
An evaluation of ABS building approvals across statistical geographies indicates that Gatton averages approximately 18 residential approvals per year, totaling an estimated 94 homes across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), with 10 approvals recorded to date in FY-25. Over the course of the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), an average of 14.2 people arrived locally for each newly constructed home, creating a clear supply shortfall that fuels price growth and heightens buyer competition, with new residential builds registering an average construction cost of $567,000.
In addition, non-residential growth remains active, evidenced by $10.9 million worth of commercial building approvals logged during the current financial year. Residential building output in Gatton lags significantly behind regional benchmarks, sitting 72.0% below the average rate per resident across Rest of Qld. This restrained volume of new residential supply helps sustain buyer interest and property values across the existing dwelling market. Approval rates also sit well below the nationwide benchmark, pointing to an established urban footprint and potential constraints on planning. Detached dwellings constitute 92.0% of recent residential building permits while multi-unit or townhouse developments make up 8.0%, preserving the low-density neighborhood character favored by buyers seeking generous block sizes. Furthermore, a ratio of approximately 671 residents for every approved dwelling underlines the subdued pace of local construction. Longer-term demographic forecasts anticipate an influx of 1,969 residents to Gatton by 2041 based on the most recent AreaSearch quarterly release. If current construction rates persist, new housing completions may fall short of population needs, intensifying competition among prospective buyers and driving residential property values upward.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Gatton
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks one current infrastructure or development project inside Gatton. A further 17 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $344 million. 4 are already under construction and 6 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, health & medical and communities. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure investment, substantial development schemes, and strategic planning decisions play a decisive role in shaping community trajectories. AreaSearch has pinpointed 15 projects in total that have the capacity to shape the surrounding area. Prominent developments include The Range View Estate, Emerald Heights, Lockyer Energy Project, as well as Faith Lutheran College, Plainland - New Administration and Teaching Buildings, with the following overview covering the most significant initiatives.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
The Range View Estate
Acreage development offering vast plots of land for rural lifestyle. Focus on sustainable living, green spaces, and thoughtful infrastructure.
Plainland Crossing
A master-planned residential and commercial community in Plainland, midway between Ipswich and Toowoomba on the Warrego Highway. The development delivers approximately 400 residential lots across multiple stages alongside an 11-hectare retail and commercial precinct now fully sold and occupied by national retailers including Bunnings, Aldi, and Woolworths. Commenced in 2015, the estate offers a range of lot sizes with underground power, NBN, and sewer connections, and includes multiple landscaped parks.
Plainland Crossing - Endeavour Way Industrial Development
Industrial and bulky goods precinct within the Plainland Crossing town centre. The final release of commercial lots is actively being developed and marketed for showrooms, bulky goods, and warehousing. Fully serviced commercial lots with direct access to Warrego Highway via Gehrke Road. National retailers including Bunnings and Aldi are already established nearby.
Rifle Range Road Reconfiguration
Development application RAL/2025/5915 for the reconfiguration of two lots into 51 residential lots on a 12.11 hectare former Defence rifle range site. The application remains under assessment by Toowoomba Regional Council following referral agency reviews, information requests and decision period extensions. Defence Housing Australia is the landowner, with the application managed by CPLK Property Pty Ltd and Property Projects Australia.
St Peters Close Estate
An exclusive 13-lot residential subdivision on the Escarpment in Mount Lofty, Toowoomba, featuring large lots with stunning Northern and Easterly Valley Views. The lots are sold out, and homes have been constructed/are being constructed on the estate.
Gainsborough Lodge
A residential subdivision by Wagner Corporation featuring approximately 470 lots in Glenvale. Part of the expanding residential development in the Toowoomba region to accommodate growing population.
AusRocks Brookview Quarry
A $15 million quarry development by AusRocks Pty Ltd in East Toowoomba. This project will provide essential construction materials and aggregate supply to support the region's growing infrastructure and development needs.
The Ninth Middle Ridge
Luxury retirement community in Toowoomba offering 74 pet-friendly apartments with maintenance-free living, ageing-in-place features like slip-resistant tiles and 24/7 call alarms, and stunning views over the golf course and escarpment. Facilities include a gym, wine room, library, billiards room, and outdoor entertaining areas.
4,241 residents of Gatton are employed, from a labour force of 4,429. Unemployment sits at 4.2%, with participation at 59.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 4.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. The working-day population is estimated at 7,858, about 89% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Gatton maintains a capable labour pool spread across multiple sectors, registering an unemployment rate of 4.2% based on aggregated statistical area metrics compiled by AreaSearch. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 4,241, while the local jobless rate sat 0.3% above the 3.9% figure recorded across Regional Qld, accompanied by a labour force participation rate of 59.3% which trails the Regional Qld benchmark of 64.2%. Census figures also indicated that only 4.9% of local workers performed their duties from home, though these figures were influenced by prevailing Covid-19 restrictions. The primary employment sectors for local residents comprise agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and retail trade.
A notable regional concentration exists in agriculture, forestry & fishing, where the local workforce proportion is 6.6 times higher than the regional benchmark. Conversely, health care & social assistance remains underrepresented locally, engaging only 8.0% of working residents in Gatton relative to 16.1% across Regional Qld. Comparing Census resident workers against the local job count points to a constrained supply of jobs within the immediate township. AreaSearch assessment of ABS and SALM records across broader areas shows that across the twelve months leading to March 2026, the local workforce contracted by 6.7% and total employment dropped by 8.0%, which elevated the unemployment rate by 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.1%, the workforce increase by 0.3%, and unemployment edge up by 0.1 percentage points. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment projections published in Mar-26 provide useful indicators of future workforce trends in Gatton over five and ten-year horizons when aligned with local industry profiles. Although employment Australia-wide is expected to grow by 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary considerably across industries. Applying these sector-specific trajectories to the local employment base suggests Gatton could experience employment gains of 4.5% across five years and 10.5% over ten years, serving as a weighted baseline projection without factoring in local demographic shifts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Gatton is $1,275 a week (about $66,000 a year), with median personal income at $668 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $42,241 a year against an average of $50,134. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation data at the postcode level aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 indicates that the suburb of Gatton recorded a median taxpayer earnings figure of $42,241 alongside an average of $50,134. These figures sit below nationwide averages and compare with a median of $53,146 and an average of $66,593 throughout Regional Qld. Incorporating Wage Price Index expansion of 11.36% since financial year 2023 brings modeled estimates to around $47,040 for the median and $55,829 for the average as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, individual, household, and family earnings across Gatton consistently align between the 18th and 22nd percentiles across Australia.
The weekly bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 encompasses 30.1% of local earners (2,649 individuals), closely mirroring broader regional distributions where 31.7% fall into this earnings tier. Housing costs exert significant pressure on local budgets, leaving households with 84.2% of their income, which places the area at the 19th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Gatton had 2,731 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 83% detached houses and 5% apartments. 25% are owned with a mortgage, 43% rented and 32% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $295 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 23.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 23.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing stock at the most recent Census consisted of 83.2% standalone houses and 16.8% other dwelling types such as apartments and semi-detached properties, whereas Regional Qld recorded 76.4% houses alongside 23.6% other configurations. Full home ownership stood at 32.1%, matching the broader Regional Qld benchmark, while mortgaged residences represented 25.0% and rental properties accounted for 42.9%. Monthly mortgage payments in Gatton registered a median of $1,300, sitting beneath the Regional Qld figure of $1,655, while weekly rents recorded a median of $295 relative to $345 regionally. On a national scale, Gatton remains significantly more affordable than the Australian median mortgage commitment of $1,863 per month and typical weekly rent of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Gatton counted 2,731 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 3,061 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 24% are couples with children, against 26% couples without children. 26% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of living arrangements at 64.4% of total households, consisting of couples with children (23.6%), couples without children (26.4%), and one-parent households (12.9%). Non-family living situations account for the remaining 35.6%, divided between single-person homes at 26.4% and group dwellings at 9.2%. The typical household accommodates a median of 2.6 people, slightly above the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
19.0% of adults in Gatton hold a university qualification, including 14.0% with a bachelor degree and 3.8% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 83% of areas nationally. A further 24.7% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 1,891 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 955 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Attainment levels for higher education present local challenges, with 19.0% of residents holding university qualifications compared with the national average of 30.4%, highlighting a distinct scope for educational development programs. Among tertiary qualifications, bachelor degrees represent 14.0%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 3.8% and graduate diplomas at 1.2%. Vocational and technical training constitutes a major strength, as 32.7% of the population aged 15+ holds vocational qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (24.7%). Study engagement across the locality is substantial, with formal education currently undertaken by 30.7% of the population.
This cohort comprises 9.5% attending primary schools, 8.1% enrolled in tertiary institutions, and 7.6% engaged in secondary schooling.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Gatton means driving: households keep an average of 1.4 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
66.7% of residents in Gatton report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 84% of areas nationally. 7.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.1% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health metrics evaluated by AreaSearch indicate notable community challenges, based on local mortality statistics and the incidence of long-term health issues spanning both younger and older cohorts, alongside a private health insurance rate of approximately 47% across the community (~4,142 people). This level of private medical cover is lower than the 52.5% seen across Regional Qld and the Australian average of 55.7%. Mental health conditions and arthritis represent the most prevalent diagnosed ailments locally, impacting 9.6 and 9.3% of the population respectively, while 66.7% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, closely tracking the 67.6% recorded across Regional Qld.
Among working-age community members, long-term conditions occur at higher than normal rates. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 16.0% of the community (1,408 people), sitting below the 20.3% share observed across Regional Qld, with senior health indicators generally aligning with nationwide distributions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
28.9% of Gatton residents were born overseas and 25.2% speak a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (25.2%) and English (23.6%). 3.3% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Gatton exceeds that of most comparable markets, with overseas-born individuals representing 28.9% of residents and 25.2% using a non-English language at home. Christianity forms the dominant religious faith, embraced by 51.1% of the local population. Meanwhile, Islam shows a distinct local presence at 5.6% of residents, markedly above the Regional Qld benchmark of 0.6%. Regarding ancestral background based on parents' birthplace, the three most common ancestries in Gatton are Australian at 25.2%, English at 23.6% (trailing the regional figure of 29.6%), and Other at 12.6% (well above the regional benchmark of 6.9%).
Specific community backgrounds also display distinct concentrations, with German ancestry comprising 10.6% in Gatton compared to 4.7% regionally, Chinese background accounting for 4.2% versus 1.2%, and Korean ancestry representing 0.9% against 0.2% across the wider region.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Gatton is 32, younger than 86% of areas nationally. That is 1 year younger than at the 2021 Census. 38.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic profile of Gatton skews toward younger age brackets. Based on AreaSearch estimates for August 2026, young to middle aged adults aged 25 - 44 represent 37.0% of the population compared with 25.5% in Regional Qld, while mature adults aged 45 - 64 make up 16.8% against a regional benchmark of 24.6%. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 32, which decreased from 33 at the 2021 Census and sits 9 years younger than the Regional Qld figure of 41 recorded at the Census, as well as below the national Census median of 38.
The 25 - 44 cohort expanded from 31.5% at the Census to an estimated 37.0%. Demographic modelling to 2041 projects the greatest numerical expansion within the 25 - 44 bracket, adding 1,047 residents (32%) to reach 4,303, while seniors and retirees (65+) are anticipated to record the fastest rate of growth, increasing by 35% to 1,897 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Gatton
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2025 about a year ago all 1 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 110 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (7,851 at the 2021 Census → 8,801 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL31104). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.